Mizuno

Mizuno: From baseball sales to the Hall of Fame

The story behind Mizuno

It all began in 1906 with the sale of baseballs: the Mizuno brothers founded a company in Osaka with the vision of spreading baseball as a sport in Japan. The typically American sport had already arrived in Japan 30 years earlier and was in the process of becoming a professional sport. And who would have thought it: the first Japanese professional league was actually founded in 1936!

Thanks to its many awards and high level of commitment to the sport, Mizuno was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in the early 1970s. This was later followed by the induction of their signature golf clubs into the American Golf Hall of Fame. It was now clear that the motivation behind the company was a passion for sport and that it had always been about supporting athletes.

Just one year after it was founded, Mizuno was already selling baseball clothing and expanded its baseball range to include shoes and accessories a few years later. Over the years, further stores were opened and more and more items for various sports were added. Golf clubs, skis, Mizuno handball shoes and even gliders left the production line. However, Mizuno's specialty to this day is sports equipment for baseball and golf.

As the product range grew, it became increasingly important to be at the cutting edge of technology. As early as the end of the 1930s, Mizuno set up a scientific laboratory to continuously optimize its products. To this day, professional research is a unique selling point of Mizuno.

In the meantime, the sports brand has become one of the largest manufacturers of sportswear and sports accessories with the headquarters of the Mizuno Corporation in Osaka and has locations worldwide. And although the company has been in business for over 100 years, they have always managed to keep up with the times by constantly developing their products. Chapeau!

The Mizuno Wave Rider 

In addition to classic running shoes such as the Mizuno Wave Rider 25 or the Mizuno Wave Rider 24, the Japanese company has also been producing lifestyle sneakers since 1997. The sports brand's most popular sneaker is the Mizuno Wave Rider 10, which is unisex and bears the Runbird logo that has become so typical of the brand. It symbolizes the balancing act between Japanese culture and the pursuit of new perspectives and technologies. This makes it stand out visually from many other sneaker silhouettes. The new models of the Wave Rider 10 show the modern influences on the original model.

But it's not just visually that you have a really special sneaker - the Mizuno Wave Rider also has a lot to offer in terms of quality. The inner lining and midsole material provide cushioning and comfort while offering perfect support.

In addition to the Rider line, there are many other silhouettes for different sports. The Mizuno Wave Lightning Z6, for example, is one of the most popular of the Mizuno volleyball shoes. Mizuno soccer boots, such as the famous Morelia, have also been specially developed for specific sporting requirements.

With passion and know-how to success

"We have a mission: If we want to leave a more sustainable world behind for future generations, while solving pressing social issues and ensuring our survival, we must work together. We must collaboratively make sustainable choices worldwide - and together, we can do it." 

Akito Mizuno, President of Mizuno Corporation 

Mizuno is a special company that was born out of a passion for baseball. Of course, the shoes also stand out visually. Above all, the logo with the Runbird, which has shaped Mizuno's style, has become an absolute trademark. Nevertheless, Mizuno is known above all for its love of sport and its continuous research, with the help of which it supports the performance of athletes in the best possible way. 

A department of experts from the group is constantly developing new technologies and integrating them into new editions of existing models. The popular Mizuno Wave, for example, is equipped with the innovative Wave technology, which ensures optimum stability and comfortable cushioning - arguably the most important characteristics of a good sports shoe. To develop this technology, the experts analyzed impact forces and brought the first shoe with a midsole onto the market at the end of the nineties - making them a global pioneer. The impact forces are distributed in such a way that the shoes function like a shock absorber and thus ideally prevent injuries. The materials of all shoes are always coordinated with each other and adapted to the different requirements of the different sports. In addition to good cushioning, this also provides stable support. Wave technology is constantly being developed further and there is a suitable version for every type of runner.

The latest innovation 

The latest innovation from the technology development department is the Mizuno Enerzy. This cushioning system promises 15% higher energy return and better comfort than ever before. A special material in the midsole of the Enerzy Core technology even promises more than 50% higher energy return - resulting in a much more reactive and dynamic performance. 

In addition to innovative technologies, the company is also committed to sustainability. Mizuno's vision is a sustainable future in a healthy world in which everyone can and may do sport. They are therefore not only researching technologies that improve athletic performance, but also contribute to the health of people and the environment.

There is so much more to Mizuno sneakers than just a shoe

Mizuno is not only one of the leading sports brands worldwide, but also has an incredibly inspiring history. The passion for sport is reflected in the quality of every single product and shows that even a company can put its heart and soul into something. It's not for nothing that Mizuno is still family-run today.

Despite a large product range, the company manages to remain true to its standards and values and not only offers professional athletes cool design paired with the latest technology - its sneakers contain no less visual finesse and know-how. And you can tell!